Cassie looks up an old friend of her mother's named Heather Barnes and discovers she has been in a catatonic state since the night of the fire 16 years ago. Feeling guilty that her mother and her Circle may have had something to do with Heather's current state, Cassie tells Diana that she wants to use magic to help Heather. Diana refuses to help, but Faye is more than happy to conjure up a spell - for a price.

Ed Bark

Ellen Gray

If this season's "True Blood" hasn't exhausted your patience with TV witches--as it has mine--Robertson's as appealing here as she was on "Life Unexpected." Maybe magic powers will help her keep this one on the air.

Robert Bianco

Michelle Welch

Unfortunately, The Secret Circle's first episode doesn't offer much beyond all this plotty set-up. Specifically, it's missing what made other supernatural shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Supernatural successful: funny, quirky, and layered characters.

David Hinckley

Glenn Garvin

Secret Circle is competently performed and produced and liable to entertain anybody not old enough to remember Alyssa Milano and Shannen Doherty doing pretty much the same stuff in Charmed back in the 20th-century day.

Mark A. Perigard

Dan Fienberg

The Secret Circle may be over-calculated and under-inspired, but that doesn't necessarily mean The Secret Circle is bad. There's something to be said for setting reasonable goals and largely succeeding, especially when there are plenty of shows that aspire to a good deal less and still fail.